Nico Collins

Nico Collins Bio

Dominique Stephon “Nico” Collins (born March 19, 1999) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Standing 6 feet 4 inches and weighing around 222 pounds, he plays a prominent role in the Texans’ passing attack and is widely regarded as one of the rising talents at his position. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines before being selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Since entering the league, Collins has developed into a primary target in Houston’s offense, combining size, route-running, and reliable hands. His progression from a third-round selection to a two-time Pro Bowler has marked him as a central figure in the Texans’ ongoing rebuild under their current coaching staff.

Early Life and Background

Dominique Stephon Collins was born and raised in Pinson, Alabama, the youngest of three children. His father, Don Collins, is a Michigan native who worked as a surgical tech, while his mother worked in human resources. Collins grew up in a household shaped by both his Southern upbringing and his father’s ties to the Great Lakes region, and his paternal grandparents live near Buffalo, New York. In his youth, he played AAU basketball, which helped develop his coordination and athleticism before he focused on football.

Collins attended Clay-Chalkville High School in Clay, Alabama, where he played wide receiver on the undefeated football team that won the 2014 Class 6A state championship. As a junior, he caught 60 passes for 1,103 yards and 16 touchdowns, establishing himself as one of the top receiver prospects in the state. As a senior, he added 43 receptions for 865 yards and 9 touchdowns. In February 2017, Collins committed to play college football at Michigan over Georgia and Alabama, choosing the Wolverines program as the next step in his development.

Path to American Football

Collins enrolled at the University of Michigan in 2017 and made his first collegiate reception on October 12, 2017, a 12-yard pass against Rutgers. As a freshman, he appeared in two games and finished with three receptions for 27 yards, a modest beginning that reflected his adjustment to the college level. That limited role, however, set the stage for a significant jump in production the following season.

His sophomore year in 2018 represented his first major step forward, as he earned the Michigan Wolverines’ Most Improved Offensive Player award. He finished the season with 38 receptions for 632 yards and six touchdowns, including a strong performance against Ohio State with four catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns. By 2019, Collins had become one of the team’s primary receiving threats, recording 37 receptions for 729 yards and seven touchdowns and finishing second on the Wolverines in receiving yards. On November 23, 2019, he posted a career-best 165 receiving yards and three touchdowns against Indiana, showcasing the downfield ability that would later define his NFL profile. Despite the 2020 season being shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins’s body of work positioned him as an NFL prospect, and the Houston Texans selected him with the 89th overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Nico Collins Career

Early Career (2021–2022)

Collins officially signed with the Houston Texans on May 12, 2021, and quickly earned a role as a starting wide receiver alongside veterans Brandin Cooks and Chris Conley. He made his first career start and NFL debut in the Texans’ Week 1 victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars, recording one reception for seven yards. A shoulder injury in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns sent him to injured reserve in late September, but he returned to start in Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. He finished his rookie season appearing in 14 games with eight starts, totaling 33 receptions for 446 yards and his first career touchdown.

In 2022, Collins entered the season as the Texans’ No. 2 receiver behind Brandin Cooks, but a foot injury cut his year short. He played in ten games, including seven starts, and finished with 37 catches for 481 yards and two touchdowns before being placed on season-ending injured reserve on December 23. The two seasons combined gave Collins a foundation in the Texans’ system and prepared him for a larger role the following year.

Houston Texans Breakthrough (2023–2024)

The 2023 season marked Collins’s emergence as a true number-one receiver. In Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, he posted 146 receiving yards and a touchdown. He set new single-game career highs in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers with seven receptions for 168 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and then topped them again in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos with nine receptions for 191 yards and a score. In the regular-season finale against the Colts, he caught all nine of his targets for a career-high 195 yards and a career-long 75-yard touchdown, helping Houston clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2019. He finished the year with 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns, ranked eighth in the league in receiving yards, and added a receiving touchdown in the Texans’ 45–14 Wild Card victory over the Cleveland Browns.

On May 29, 2024, Collins agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Texans worth up to $75 million, with $52 million guaranteed. He led the league with 567 receiving yards early in the year before a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills sent him to injured reserve. He returned in November and closed the regular season with 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. In the Wild Card Round, he added seven receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown in the 32–12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and he was later ranked 32nd by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025.

2025 Season

Collins continued his strong play into the 2025 campaign, recording 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns while starting 15 games. A Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars featured seven receptions for 136 yards, and he remained a central piece of the Texans’ offense throughout the year. After suffering a concussion during Houston’s Wild Card Round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Collins missed the team’s Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots, who advanced to Super Bowl LX.

Notable Events and Milestones

Among Collins’s signature moments is his 195-yard, 75-yard-touchdown performance in the 2023 regular-season finale against the Colts, a game that secured Houston’s first playoff appearance since 2019. He has also earned back-to-back Pro Bowl honors in 2024 and 2025, and his three-year, $75 million extension in 2024 underscored his status as a franchise cornerstone.

Nico Collins Career Stats

As of the 2025 season, Nico Collins has recorded 289 receptions for 4,347 receiving yards and 24 receiving touchdowns across his NFL career with the Houston Texans, averaging 15 yards per catch. His production has grown steadily since his rookie year, peaking with a 1,297-yard campaign in 2023 and surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in both 2024 and 2025.

Regular Season Statistics

Nico Collins Family

Family Background and Football Lineage

Nico Collins was raised in Pinson, Alabama, by his mother, who worked in human resources, and his father, Don Collins, a Michigan native who worked as a surgical tech. His father’s ties to Michigan helped shape Collins’s eventual decision to play college football for the Wolverines. He grew up as the youngest of three children, and his paternal grandparents live near Buffalo, New York.

Personal Life

Collins is known professionally by the nickname “Nico,” a shortened form of his given name Dominique. He is widely recognized by his jersey number 12 with the Houston Texans. He maintains an active presence on social media, including on X and Instagram, where he shares updates from his career and personal interests.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season further cemented Collins’s role as the Texans’ top wide receiver. He started 15 games and totaled 71 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns, providing consistent production alongside Houston’s quarterback and supporting a young, ascending offensive core. His Week 10 showing of seven receptions for 136 yards in a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars highlighted his ability to deliver in key conference matchups.

Collins’s campaign was cut short in the postseason after a concussion in the Texans’ Wild Card Round victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers forced him to miss the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots. Despite the injury, his two-time Pro Bowl recognition in 2024 and 2025 confirmed his standing among the league’s top pass catchers, and his long-term contract extension positions him as a foundational piece for Houston’s continued growth.